Summer Pickle Relish

Make a 24 hour cucumber relish that enhances the flavor of a Bean Burger to a Prime Rib. Easy to make and rewarding to the cook

Course condiment

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 20

Servings 4 pints

6 large cucumbers finely chopped or shredded
¼ cup canning salt canning salt works best because it carries no other minerals or impurities that may discolor the relish
4 cups yellow or white onions chopped finely or shredded
1 large sweet red pepper chopped finely
2 ½ cups white vinegar
2 ½ cups sugar
2 Tb. Spicy Beer Mustard Spicy Beer Mustard is an Important Ingredient because Buzz Savories mustards mix Turmeric and Allspice and Mustard Seeds into the mustard - each an ingredient that flavors the Summer Relish
1 tsp., celery seed

peel the cucumbers, leaving intermittent strips of green peel on the cucumber for added color and cut into 3 inch chunks
peel the onion and cut into 3 inch chunks
Shred the cucumber and onion with a manual grater on the coarse side or shred it in your Cuisinart. I pulse maybe 4 tines or until every chunk is just shredded, no more.
Place in a nonreactive bowl - glass, stainless steel
Pour 1/4 cup canning salt over the onion/cucumber mixture, mix well and cover with a clean tea towel
Leave overnight or for 4 hours until cucumber and onions release their juices, and the mixture looks wet and soupy

Place a cotton towel or double cheese cloth over a 4 qt. bowl
Pour the cucumber/onion mixture into the towel or cheese cloth
Pick up the corners of the tea towel and wind them together over your hand, twisting and squeezing. As the towel twists, juices and brine are squeezed out of the cucumber/onion mixture. Work it until the vegetables are just moist but not dripping with juice.
Toss the leftover brine.

In a non-reactive sauce pan or enamel roaster, mix the vinegar, sugar, mustard, celery seed
Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves

Finely dice the red pepper
Combine the onion/cucumber mixture and the red pepper into the simmering pickle solution
Cook over medium heat until the onion turns transparent and all ingredients are soft, about 20 minutes.
Separate the lids and bands from the pint jars, and wash the jars in a dishwasher or submerge the jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. Either process sterilizes the jars and heats them - hot to the touch.

Organize the hot jars and the kettle of hot pickle relish on a flat surface, placing the jars on a tray or cookie sheet to collect the spills
Ladle the pickle relish into the jars leaving 1/2 inch space between the relish and the top of the jar
Wipe the top rim of the jars with a damp cloth to clean the surface and top the jar with a lid and seal each jar with the band. Twisting it tight.
Cool on a wire rack or folded tea towel
Store in a cupboard or pantry shelf. Shelf life, 1 year.